Question on Genesis 34:3 LXX
Barry Hofstetter
nebarry at earthlink.net
Wed Nov 6 22:42:27 EST 2002
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carl W. Conrad" <cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu>
To: "Biblical Greek" <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Cc: "Biblical Greek" <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2002 9:36 AM
Subject: [b-greek] Re: Question on Genesis 34:3 LXX
Comments below:
> At 7:41 AM -0500 11/6/02, Barry Hofstetter wrote:
>
> The original message, of course, was from George Somsel; I merely forwarded
> it to the list for him.
And hopefully he has been seeing the responses!
> >1. The real question is why LXX translator(s) of Isaiah would feel
> >comfortable
> >translating *'almah* as *parthenos* (virgin) rather than as *neanis* (young
> >woman) or some other paraphrase which would capture the force of *'almah*, if
> >indeed the force is "young woman" as the RSV and other modern versions render
> >it.
> But as has already been pointed out earlier in this thread, the term
> PARQENOS is used elsewhere in the LXX also of young women who are not
> virgins in our strict sense of the word.
Yes, Gen 34:3 was the specific text cited. I was interacting specifically with
the quotation from Dr. Nyland. Someone else pointed out off list that I did not
interact with the subject header, and here let me rectify that. As I pointed
out in my previous post, translation literature has additional complications
from original composition. We not only need to translate the Greek correctly in
the LXX, but we also need to examine the translator's own source to determine
how he has understood the Hebrew. Of course, there are text critical problems
as well -- can we be absolutely sure that the Vorlage of the LXX translator was
identical or nearly indentical to the Masoretic text? In this case, I think
there is every likelihood 1) that the Vorlage was identical or very close and 2)
That the translator has correctly understood the text.
Let me advance one proof in support of this assertion. The Hebrew word
translated PARQENOS is *na`arah*, which BDB (Brown-Driver-Briggs) glosses as
"girl, damsel; little girl; elsewh. = young woman; esp. as marriageable; specif.
virgin; betrothed girl; young widow..." and goes on to suggest a couple of other
usages where the word does not mean "virgin" in the medical sense. Now, why
does the Hebrew writer choose this particular word to describe the girl?
Precisely, I think, to emphasize that she is of marriageable age, but still a
virgin up until the point that Shechem rapes her (which is also confirmed by the
context). The LXX translator's choice of PARQENOS seems to capture this
emphasis admirably.
In 34:4, there is an interesting variation. Instead of *na`arah*, Shechem is
reported as referring to the girl as *yildah*, which is simply a girl of
marriageable age, with no necessary connotation of virginity. Is this simply a
stylistic choice, or is it meant to confirm that fact that Dinah is no longer a
virgin in the technical sense? At any rate, the LXX translator now chooses to
reflect that difference in vocabulary by using PAIDISKH, which has a similar
range of meaning in Greek.
The use of the term PARQENOS, then, in the LXX faithfully represents the Hebrew
emphasis. This lexical choice in this context poignantly directs the readers
attention to the forced loss of Dinah's virginity...
> This discussion has already passed over beyond focus on Greek lexicography
> to broader issues of hermeneutics and general Biblical interpretation;
> these areas are OUTSIDE the legitimate scope of B-Greek discussion inasmuch
> as people bring to their discussion assumptions based upon very different
> perspectives and perhaps also faith-commitments.
Well, perhaps I need some clarification as to the limits of discussion, which I
certainly wish to respect. The question here is precisely one of lexicography.
How do lexicographers write their lexicons? By examining as many usages of the
word in as many contexts as possible, and thereby determining the semantic
range. It is largely by a consideration of the context the such determinations
are made, which means giving some attention to what the writer is saying more
broadly.
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Professor of Theology and Biblical Interpretation
The Center for Urban Theological Studies, Philadelphia, PA
http://home.earthlink.net/~nebarry
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